(03-22-2022 12:39 AM)pono Wrote:  Sad to see Mihai go. He was a fun guy to cheer for. Has D1 potential under the right coach and system. hard to find guys that size who have good hands and attack the basket. Not sure if he would have ever turned the corner at UT, but he grew this season and contributed.

I think the main takeaway here is that Javan Simmons is going to play. Thatʻs what the staff said. He was our top recruit. Heʻs a good fit for our style. He is the frontcourt bench guy they prefer for next season.

Second takeaway is that AJ Edu is probably all in for next season. No way you lose Mihai with no other bigs on the roster. We know the history, but AJ does have full strength and motion in his knees. All 3 of the separate injuries healed fully and on time. Obviously, weʻll hold our breath until he makes it through an off season and few games without a ligament snapping. If the staff believes in his health and his commitment is 100%, then Mihai will be behind him when we go big. And sometimes we will go small with no true big. AJ said after he briefly returned that he forgot how much he loved basketball. And TK said that he expects AJ back at UT and on the court next season.

Wallace will be a walk-on. Davis??? The two D2 stars weʻve contacted have lots of options, but we do have an inside track due to location, TKs D2 background, Shumateʻs success, and available minutes for a versatile frontcourt guy. The Michigan Tech player is more of a shooter. Burly guy that can hold his ground but his (limited) tape Iʻve seen suggests heʻs more a shooter than anything. The Califonia, PA kid from Ohio is more athletic and also burly and productive. He has more remaining eligibility. Either way, UT tends to really background check recruits and will back off or go all in based on character and personality conclusions. Wouldnʻt expect an immediate signing.

Still like Willis from Detroit MLK. Heʻs so intuitive and athletic itʻs hard to gauge his skill level, but pg depth is important and adding physical athletic guys who win championships is a direction I like with recruiting.

Hoping the 2 backup guards, Wilson and Farmer, donʻt enter the portal. We now have 3 open scholarships which is plenty to work with. Both those guys are talented and can physically compete at this level. Both seem to be good teammates who bring the right attitude and have room to improve. Wilson lost most of his senior year to covid and may have been a little game rusty, but his competitiveness, physicality, defense and rebounding was promising. Farmer can get his own shot and get to the rim. Now, he needs to make em over D1 defenders. I think the press would be really potent if those guys earn minutes and we rotate them with Moss, Rollins and RayJ.

Read an article in yesterday's Detroit News talking about Chansey Willis Jr. winning the 2022 Mr. Basketball in the State of Michigan. In the article he talks about the lack of offers he has gotten to this point (Toledo, EMU, Detroit) and says he hopes now that after winning this prestigious award his phone will begin to ring with interest from other Division 1 schools. Another interesting thing he talked about in the article was how the murder of his college aged sister several years ago was the driving force for him him to do great things both on the Football Field and Basketball Court at Detroit King High School. Its a great lesson on how someone turned adversity into a positive!

been talk about how down Michigan hoops is this year. No 4 or 5 star guys and a, barely, MAC prospect winning Mr. Basketball.

Willis seems to have good focus and drive. That tragedy seems to be part of it.

(03-23-2022 10:00 PM)Basketball Jones Wrote:  

(03-22-2022 12:39 AM)pono Wrote:  Sad to see Mihai go. He was a fun guy to cheer for. Has D1 potential under the right coach and system. hard to find guys that size who have good hands and attack the basket. Not sure if he would have ever turned the corner at UT, but he grew this season and contributed.

I think the main takeaway here is that Javan Simmons is going to play. Thatʻs what the staff said. He was our top recruit. Heʻs a good fit for our style. He is the frontcourt bench guy they prefer for next season.

Second takeaway is that AJ Edu is probably all in for next season. No way you lose Mihai with no other bigs on the roster. We know the history, but AJ does have full strength and motion in his knees. All 3 of the separate injuries healed fully and on time. Obviously, weʻll hold our breath until he makes it through an off season and few games without a ligament snapping. If the staff believes in his health and his commitment is 100%, then Mihai will be behind him when we go big. And sometimes we will go small with no true big. AJ said after he briefly returned that he forgot how much he loved basketball. And TK said that he expects AJ back at UT and on the court next season.

Wallace will be a walk-on. Davis??? The two D2 stars weʻve contacted have lots of options, but we do have an inside track due to location, TKs D2 background, Shumateʻs success, and available minutes for a versatile frontcourt guy. The Michigan Tech player is more of a shooter. Burly guy that can hold his ground but his (limited) tape Iʻve seen suggests heʻs more a shooter than anything. The Califonia, PA kid from Ohio is more athletic and also burly and productive. He has more remaining eligibility. Either way, UT tends to really background check recruits and will back off or go all in based on character and personality conclusions. Wouldnʻt expect an immediate signing.

Still like Willis from Detroit MLK. Heʻs so intuitive and athletic itʻs hard to gauge his skill level, but pg depth is important and adding physical athletic guys who win championships is a direction I like with recruiting.

Hoping the 2 backup guards, Wilson and Farmer, donʻt enter the portal. We now have 3 open scholarships which is plenty to work with. Both those guys are talented and can physically compete at this level. Both seem to be good teammates who bring the right attitude and have room to improve. Wilson lost most of his senior year to covid and may have been a little game rusty, but his competitiveness, physicality, defense and rebounding was promising. Farmer can get his own shot and get to the rim. Now, he needs to make em over D1 defenders. I think the press would be really potent if those guys earn minutes and we rotate them with Moss, Rollins and RayJ.

Read an article in yesterday's Detroit News talking about Chansey Willis Jr. winning the 2022 Mr. Basketball in the State of Michigan. In the article he talks about the lack of offers he has gotten to this point (Toledo, EMU, Detroit) and says he hopes now that after winning this prestigious award his phone will begin to ring with interest from other Division 1 schools. Another interesting thing he talked about in the article was how the murder of his college aged sister several years ago was the driving force for him him to do great things both on the Football Field and Basketball Court at Detroit King High School. Its a great lesson on how someone turned adversity into a positive!

I’m guessing he isn’t all that interested in Toledo if he’s hoping & waiting for his phone to ring more often now…

He may not be interested but we're the best of his three current offers by far. More offers are not likely coming unless he explodes on AAU circuit which could happen and that will have nothing to do with his award. Maybe the award will add his name to a watch-list sheet, so yeah, he might get more noticed. But his play is his ticket.

(03-24-2022 08:14 AM)IamN2daRockets! Wrote:  He may not be interested but we're the best of his three current offers by far. More offers are not likely coming unless he explodes on AAU circuit which could happen and that will have nothing to do with his award. Maybe the award will add his name to a watch-list sheet, so yeah, he might get more noticed. But his play is his ticket.

I haven't followed UT football recruiting this year. Is Willis Jr a fb recruit?
https://football.thedzone.com/news/detro...-by-toledo

(03-24-2022 08:14 AM)IamN2daRockets! Wrote:  He may not be interested but we're the best of his three current offers by far. More offers are not likely coming unless he explodes on AAU circuit which could happen and that will have nothing to do with his award. Maybe the award will add his name to a watch-list sheet, so yeah, he might get more noticed. But his play is his ticket.

I think the transfer portal can hurt some guys like him who are either late developers or fringe mid-major or above recruits. Schools in these conferences (big 10. SEC, Big 12, Big east, A10 etc) can pick up proven D1 caliber players like Michigan, Ohio State and others have and not take a gamble on a kids like this. If willis goes to a MAC or smaller school and explodes he can then get cherry picked in the portal if he picks to.

I saw today where a familiar name, Mo Njie, a 6-10, 245lb Freshman Center from Centerville, OH has entered the Transfer Portal. If you remember, Toledo was in on him pretty heavy a few years ago before he decided to spend an extra year at a Prep School and subsequently signed with EMU. He had a good Freshmen Season averaging 6.6ppg and 5.3rpg. in 20 games and was named to the All-MAC Freshman Team after the season. Not knowing why he is transferring from EMU, but I would think Toledo would at least do its due diligence and consider him for one of their interior openings as he is definitely a big body who has some skills to offer.

(03-24-2022 10:59 AM)Basketball Jones Wrote:  I saw today where a familiar name, Mo Njie, a 6-10, 245lb Freshman Center from Centerville, OH has entered the Transfer Portal. If you remember, Toledo was in on him pretty heavy a few years ago before he decided to spend an extra year at a Prep School and subsequently signed with EMU. He had a good Freshmen Season averaging 6.6ppg and 5.3rpg. in 20 games and was named to the All-MAC Freshman Team after the season. Not knowing why he is transferring from EMU, but I would think Toledo would at least do its due diligence and consider him for one of their interior openings as he is definitely a big body who has some skills to offer.

He’s leaving to play with his brother at Penn State.

Wasn’t that impressed by him as a frosh

So he can sit on the bench at Penn State ?

(03-25-2022 12:15 PM)Springboromark Wrote:  So he can sit on the bench at Penn State ?

Yeah, I think it’s stupid too.

There is speculation on Twitter that Carcoana may be following Offutt to Illinois State.

(03-28-2022 06:02 PM)Sleepy Wrote:  There is speculation on Twitter that Carcoana may be following Offutt to Illinois State.

Their 22-23 roster lists a 6'8", two 6'10" and a 6'11" and only two freshmen, a PG and a CG. Their 20pt junior guard is in portal and seach shows him being pursued by bigger programs, Kentucky, Wisky. Is their need really another big man?